Why don't we use negative pressure ventilation? It sure seems easier and safer, and I haven't heard reasons we shouldn't... love to talk to an MD, esp in pulmonology.

Intros? (1/5)

NPV is how iron lungs operate, though modern ones are much slimmer, like: http://www.hayekmedical.com/archives/product/hayek-mrtx

This is also very close to how your body normally breathes- your diaphragm pulls down to create a negative pressure in your thoracic cavity, and that inflates your lungs. (2/5)

Pros:
Doesn't require meds in short supply
Patients can eat, speak, _wear masks_
Weaning off much safer
Easy to build devices quickly
Safe over a much wider range of settings

Cons:
May be hard on elderly ribcages?
I'm sure there have to be lots more... (3/5)

I knocked together a junk-parts prototype in an afternoon, and it sure forces you breathe effectively. (4/5)

Just added a manometer, a primitive but accurate pressure gauge, so I can do some feedback loop control. Will add a float and an optical gate to make it easy to set target pressures. (5/5)